Gilani challenges rival political parties to dislodge his government

Lahore: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Sunday challenged political parties plotting to dislodge his government, saying they would get a chance to test their popularity in the general election scheduled for 2013.

Against the backdrop of reports that the main opposition PML-N plans to launch a drive against the Pakistan People's Party-led government, Gilani told a gathering in the capital of Punjab province that those who are "ambitious to come to power" would have to wait till the next general election.

Without naming the PML-N or its Chief, former Premier Nawaz Sharif, Gilani said a party that had been in power twice, and was now seeking to dislodge the government, had failed to give a "manifesto for the people".

He said when former military ruler Pervez Musharraf had dismissed this party's government, the PPP stood by its leader to save democracy.

People would exercise their right to vote in favour of the party having the best performance and a public service-oriented manifesto in the next election, Gilani said.

"One must support the federal political party that guarantees security, development and integrity of the country," he added.

The PPP, he contended, was the largest party as it has roots in all four provinces of Pakistan as well as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

"The essence of the PPP manifesto is democracy, which is in the blood of its leadership and workers," he said.

Listing his government’s achievements, Gilani said it had restored the spirit of the 1973 Constitution through the 18th constitutional amendment.

However, he remarked that terrorism was the "single major challenge posing a great threat to Pakistan and its institutions".

Gilani, who was addressing a function to mark the laying of the foundation stone for a lawyers’ hospital, called on the legal fraternity to play an effective role in fighting terrorism.